The controversial downtown project Avenue Diner may instead be a Food Truck Park.

While construction on the site at Third Avenue South and Demonbreun Street has been halted, owners Steve Smith and Al Ross, who also own other venues, including Rippy’s and Honky Tonk Central, have announced the park as a backup plan.

“It’ll be a 24-hour diner either way you look at it,” Ross said.

In June, the Metro Housing and Development Agency issued a stop-work order because of a code violation. The agency cited a violation of an agreement that Avenue Diner would leave at least 50 percent of the existing structure.

Earlier this week, the agency’s Design Review Committee denied an application for a variance that would have permitted construction to proceed downtown. Developer Avenue Diner LLC had requested a variance to allow for the sidewalks on the side of the site that faces Demonbreun Street to have a narrower width of 12 feet. The downtown code requires a width of 15 feet to 20 feet.

Avenue Diner will be on the agenda for a Sept. 4 meeting of the Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals, which will determine the future of the site.

If the board determines the owners cannot continue with the diner, they plan to fill the hole and create the Food Truck Park, where food trucks can serve customers at all hours of the day or night, and guests can sit and eat at picnic tables.